Condensate-returning means for steam-heating plants.



G. E. & J. A. SMITH.

i CONDENSATE RETURNING MEANS FOR STEAM HEATING PLANTS.

A APPLICATloN FILED 1uLY7.19|5.

1,175,186. 1 Patented m1111916.

Ln gm STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. SMITH ANI) JOHN A. SMITH, F DENVER, COLORADO.

CONDENSATE-RETURNING MEANS FOR STEAM-HEATIN Gr PLANTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnjed lVIal'. 14, 1916.

Application filed July 7, 1915. Serial No. 38,451. Y

To aZZ whom t may concern: Y

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. .SMITH and JOHN A. SMITH, citizens of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condensate-Returning Means for Steam-Heating Plants; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inventionpsuch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in condensate returning means for steam heating plants and our object is to provide means for returning the condensate from the heating plant to a boiler containing a higher steam pressure.

A further object is to provide means for automatically operating a valve to equalize the pressure above and below the condensate to cause the condensate to return to the boiler by gravity. y

A further object is to sol construct the parts that a vacuum will be created whereby the condensate may be drawn from the heat ing system at a point level with or below the steam boiler.

A further object is to provide means for creating a vacuum previous to the operation of the device.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the accompanying specication.

In the accompanying drawing which is made a part of this application, the gure is a sectional view of the condensate controlling means.

Referring to the drawings 1 indicates a tank which may be constructed in the usual or any preferred manner, said tank having a valve casing 2 communicating therewith, i

through which live steam is admittedV to the tank, the upper end of the valve casing being connected to a steam boiler (not shown) through the medium of va pipe 3, said casing having a valve 4 adapted to cooperate with the seat 5 of the casing to control the admission of the live steam into Y the tank. The valve 4 is provided with an elongated stem 5, which stem extends through bearings 6 and 7, by means of which theivalve is held in proper registration with its seat. The lower end of the stem 5is provided with a hollow head 8 through which extends 'a lever 9, one end of the lever beingk pivotally secured to a 'bracket 10, while the opposite end thereof is pivotally secured to a rod 11, that portion of the lever extending through the hollow head having a ball 12 to provide a smooth bearing surface between the head and lever.

Communicating with the tank 1 and at` the lower portion thereof, is a pipe 13 which extends from the tank to the steam boiler and through which the water caused by condensation' is returned to the boiler, said pipe 13 having a water sealed valve 14 between the tank and boiler to prevent the return of the water into the tank when a vacuum is created in the tank, the pressure of the steam in the boiler causing the valve to seat.

Entering the tank 1 at a point adjacent the' upper portion thereof is a pipe 15, the opposite end of the pipe communicating with the condensate return portion .of a steam heating plant (not shown), said pipe 15 likewise having a water sealed valve 16 in its length to prevent back pressure into the heating system from the tank l. The end 17 of the pipe 15 is, so positioned as Ato discharge the condensate from the heating system into a trough like receptacle 18, which receptacle is pivotally mounted upon a bar 19 within the tank 1. The pivotpoint of the receptacle is off centered or nearer one end of the receptacle than the other, the walls of the shorter end 20 being increased in thickness to add weight thereto and the shorter end 20 normally rests in a plane lower than the opposite end 21, a portion of the end 21 having a cover 22 there` its normal position when the siphonage will be interrupted or broken should there rbe v any of the condensate remaining in the receptacle, as the inclination of the bottom portion of the receptacle will cause the condensate to flow to the forward end of the receptacle. The end 20 of the receptacle 18V is provided with an extension25 through which. the lower end of the rod 11 plays, said lower end being lthreaded to receive nuts 26 and 27 positioned above and below said extension so that when the end Zlof the receptacle tilts downwardly, the extension 25 will engage the nut Q6 and move the lever 9 upwardly thus opening the valve 4 and admitting live steam into the tank,fwhile the nut 2T is engaged by the extension 25 as the .-end 20 of the receptacle descends, thus positively closing the `valve 4.

Extending through one end wall of the tank 1 and a short distance above the lowermost edge of the tank is an escape pipe 28 through which the air within the tank is excluded at certain intervals, said escape pipe having a valve 29 intersecting the same, said valve being surrounded by an enlarged housing 30 in which is placed water to form a seal, the escape port 31-or the housing being adjacent the upper edge thereof, and to prevent the air from forcing the water outwardly through said port, a hood 32 is suspended from the top of the housing 80 in such position as to intercept the air' as it leaves the valve casing, said hood being provided with a. plurality of perforations 33 to permit the air to escape therethrough as it leaves the water, thereby causing the air to either pass around the edges of the hood or through the perforations, the force of the air being thus disrupted to such an extent as not to carry the water up to` and through the port.

ntersecting the escape pipe 28 between the tank 1 and valve 29, is a. thermostatic valve 34 which is normally in open position and is adapted to be operated to close the valve when heated.

In operation, live steam is admitted into the tank from the pipe 3 by means of a bypass 35, said bypass having a controlling valve 36 and as soon as a sufficient amount of steam has been admitted to equalize the pressure in the tank or when the tank has been filled with steam, the valve 36 is closed. As the steam is admitted into the upper porticn of the tank, the air therein is driven through the thermostatic valve 341 and the valve 29 until all of the air has lbeen eX- pelledfrcm the tank, and as soon as the steam in the tank has cooled and condensed, a vacuum will be created, which will result in drawing the condensation from the heating system 'through the pipe 15, and as the end 17 of the pipe is positioned over the receptacle 18,l the water thus removed from the heating system will be discharged into said receptacle. As soon as the volume of water in the end 21 is of sufficient weight to overcome the weight in the end 20, the receptacle will be overbalanced and swung upon its pivot, thereby disposing the water in the receptacle into the pocket 23, this action also starting the siphon 24, such Siphonage continuing until practically the entire amount of water has been removed from the receptacle. Simultaneously with tilting the receptacle y18, the valve 4l is elevated, thus admitting live steam intoithc upper portion:

of the tank, the pressure of the steam eX- eluding any air that'may be in the tank through the escape pipe 28. As lthe `air is driven from the tank and the steam comes in contact with the thermostatic valve, said valve will immediately close, the continuedI admission of steam into the tank causing the pressure to equalize above Vand below the water and permitting the water to flow by' gravity back into the steam boiler. As soon as a suliicient amount of water has been: re-

moved from the receptacle to permit the weight of the end Q0 to overbalance the end 21, said receptacle will return to its normal f said steam will begin; to cool and become.

condensed again, creating a vacuum in the tank, causing a suction through the pipeil. and drawing y the condensation from the heating system.

It will be understood ot' course, that it is only necessary to admit steam through the bypass to create the vacuum when the heating system is first started up as the operation` of the mechanism will be continued so long as steam is kept in the` boiler and admitted into the heating system. In ordinary heating systems it is necessary to place a. boiler at a position below the level of the heating system in order to conveythe condensation back into the boiler, while in applicants device by creating a vacuum in the tank, the boiler can be placed on a level with the heating plant or a distance abovel the same as the vacuum will act as a pump and draw condensation from the heating system into the tank.. It will further be seen that by arranging the trough like receptacle as shown, assoon as the end 21 becomes over-balanced, it will immediately descend and instantly open the valve 4 `;to` admit steam into the tank and that in view,

of the time which rit requires to siphon Athe water from the pocket, a suflicient amount of steam Awill be admitted into the tankto exclude the air therefrom and equalize the pressure between the tank and boiler, thus permitting the water to return to the boiler l tank, the condensed water will-be removed from the heating system while ystill lin a warmstate and is retained in that condition until returned into the boiler, andr further that the siphonage will be completely broken with each operation of the tilting receptacle tion. t will urtherjbe seen that by providing the check valves with a soft disk and submerging the same in water, the water or steam in the various pipes will be prevented from returning into the tank and by providing a similar valve for the air passage, the air will be positively excluded from returning into the tank.

Having thus fully describedv our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. An attachment for the return pipes of a heating` system, comprising a tank, a pipe to convey live steam to said tank, a valve in said pipe, a tilting receptacle in the tank, means connected to the receptacle and valve to open and close the valve with the tilting of the receptacle, a cover for aV portion of said receptacle, a siphon to remove the contents of the receptacle, a return pipe communicating with the lower portion of the tank, an escape pipe connected to the tank, a thermostatic valve coperating with the escape pipe, and means to connect the tank with the heating system.

2. An attachment for heating systems, comprising ay tank, a pipe communicating .iith the tank to convey steam therein, a valveV in said pipe, astem connected to the valve, a receptacle pivotally mounted in the tank, the pivotal point being nearer one end of the receptacle than the other, the bottom of said receptacle being inclined toward the shorter end, a covering over a portion ofthe receptacle to form a pocket, a Siphon entering the pocket to remove water therefrom, a pivotally mounted lever connected to said valve stem, a. rod pivoted to said lever and engaging parts of said receptacle, adjusting nuts on the rod cooperating with the engaging portion of the receptacle, a return pipe communicating with the lower portion of the tank, an escape pipe communicating with Y the tank, a thermostatic valve in said escape pipe, a check valve also cooperating with said escape valve, a housing surrounding said last valve, said housing containing water, means above the valve to break the force of the air passing therethrough, an escape po-rt connected to the housing, anda pipe extending from the tank to a heating system adapted to discharge the condensa' tionk :trom the heating system into said receptacle.

3. An attachment torv heating systems, comprising a tank, a pipe connecting said tank to the condensate pipe of the heating system, a steam pipe communicating with said tank, a valve in said pipe, a pivotally mounted receptacle in said tank, means connecting the receptacle to said valve whereby the tilting of the receptacle will open and l close the valve, a pocket at one end of the receptacle, and means to remove the c0ntents of the pocket when the receptacle is tilted.

4. An attachment for heating systems, comprising a tank, a steam pipe connected to the tank, an additional pipe connecting the tank with the heating system to convey condensate to the tank, a pivotally mounted receptacle in the tank adapted to receive the condensate, means to remove the condensate from the receptacle when in tilted position,

. a valve in the steam'pipe, and means controlled by the receptacle to open or close said valve by the movement of the receptacle.

5. An attachment for heating systems, comprising a tank, means to convey steam and condensate into said tank, an air escape pipe connected to said tank, awater sealed valve in the escape pipe, means to retard the passage of air through the escape pipe, and a thermostatio valve adapted to close communication through the escape pipe.

6. An attachment for heating systems, comprising a tank, a steam pipe communieating with the tank, a valve in said steam pipe, an additional pipe adapted to convey condensate into the tank, a receptacle pivotally mounted in the tank adapted to receive the condensate from said second pipe, a pocket at one end of the receptacle adapted to conne the condensate when the receptacle is tilted in one direction, means to remove the condensate from the receptacle, and means coperating with the receptacle and said valve to operate the valve when the receptacle is tilted.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. SMITH. JOHN A. SMITH. Vitnesses: i

Lnwrs H. HALL, OSCAR PETERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

